The Scoop on Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, we all know this word but if we really understand what is carbohydrates?
there are two types:
Simple sugars
Sugars and starches are forms of carbohydrates.Monosaccharides are the simplest carbohydrates. They usually contain either three or seven carbon atoms. When place in water they dissolve easily, and are very sweet tasting. Some examples of monosacharides include glucose, fructose, and honey. Two monosaccharides joined together are called a disaccharide. These are very similar to monosaccharides because they are sweet tasting, crystalline, and dissolve easily in water. Some examples of disaccharides include sucrose (table sugar/cane sugar) lactose (milk sugar) and maltose. Women usually have more of a sweet tooth than men, so limiting your simple sugars is key to improving women health drastically.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) consist of multiple sugar monomers. These should be a big part of your diet. Complex carbohydrates are found in fruits, grains, legumes, whole grains, and lots of other vegetables. Complex carbohydrates contain high amounts of fiber which isn’t found much in simple carbohydrates. Women, incorporate more of these into your diet. When you have a sweet tooth grab a piece of fruit, it contains natural sugar which will settle down in your body more easily.
Glycemic Index
This is a ranking of carbohydrates on how they will affect your blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that are released quickly into your blood upon consumption tend to have higher glycemic indexes. In contrast foods that are broken down more slowly gradually releasing glucose have a low glycemic index. For example, bananas would have higher glycemic levels than grapefruit. Eat more foods that are low on the glycemic index as opposed to those that are higher such as simple sugars. Foods that are high on the glycemic index break down more rapidly into the body and can cause all type of complications.